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SF Jewish restaurants targeted for boycott

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Updated  January 13, 2024 7:17am PST
San Francisco
KTVU FOX 2

Flyers call for boycott of San Francisco Jewish-owned businesses

Flyers calling for a boycott of six Jewish eateries in San Francisco have been posted in various commercial areas in San Francisco. The situation raises safety concerns for these businesses and the Jewish community.

Fliers calling for a boycott of six Jewish eateries have been posted in various commercial areas in San Francisco, raising safety concerns for these businesses and the Jewish community.

Oren's Hummus in the South of Market neighborhood which proudly serves Israeli cuisine. But on Friday morning, when Randale Conner, the restaurant's general manager, opened up shop, he was greeted with the message "Do you condemn hummus?" spray-painted on the ground at the front entrance.

And on nearby utility poles, fliers were posted, calling for a boycott of six eateries: Oren's Hummus, Sababa, Hummus Bodega, Manny's, Sabra Grill and Taboun.  They were described as Israeli food and and Zionist businesses in San Francisco.

"We were very shocked. The main thing is the safety of our team and people that work for us," Conner said he has 45 employees at the San Francisco location.  He said three weeks earlier, similar fliers were posted on the windows of the restaurant's Palo Alto location. 

Conner said the focus of this Jewish-owned business is solely on food, not politics,

"Oren's Hummus was created to just share the food from the region," Conner said. "We serve great hummus, and we do it well."  

The fliers were also posted in front of other Jewish-owned businesses in various neighborhoods, including Chinatown. 

There are a number of them along Grant Avenue which offended Jesse Franklin-Murdock who is Jewish and  patronizes the businesses named in the fliers. He said he saw them when he was walking to work on Friday morning.

"Frankly, I was appalled," he said. "This is coming very close to inciting violence against Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses. It's targeting them."  

 He posted about the fliers on social media.

"It's defacing public property. And now, all of us as San Franciscans, we're forced to confront this ugly bigotry just walking through the city," said Franklin-Murdock.  

Several people told a KTVU crew that they saw a large group of young people participating in a pro-Palestine demonstrating against Israel, posting fliers along various streets on Wednesday. City workers were seen removing some fliers on Friday night.

Conner said he'd like to meet with those who posted the fliers,"I invite them in. Have a seat. Let's have a talk."  

The Jewish Community Relations Council issued a statement,"Jews are being scapegoated for events overseas. And small business owners should not face collective punishment.  This form of anti-Semitism is growing and deeply alarming to us."

Conner said the goal of Oren's Hummus is to create an inclusive and enjoyable dining experience for all guests.

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU.